15

A.—s

Company, who get through some ten or fifteen thousand pounds' worth per annum at their Vancouver branch alone. I have asked for a sample of these to be sent down here in order that the factories may see the kind of thing required, as it is just possible that in this particular line something might be done. These special blankets are very large and heavy, being required for districts where the work is of a rough character and the weather intensely cold. There is a prospect of a great development of the mining industries of this province, and in that view this particular branch of the woollen trade promises to assume large dimensions. In breadstuff's there is little prospect of any business being possible, as the duty is high— 15 cents per bushel; and, although the freight from the States and the eastern provinces is heavy, I am of opinion that, unless a differential tariff be arranged—which in this case is not likely —these places will always command the trade. There may be some of our minor products which, to a very limited extent, might be found profitably saleable, but the articles above enumerated would, it appears to me, constitute the bulk of the shipments we could expect to send to British Columbia. On the question of return trade, it may be said that there is much of their timber that w T ould be suitable for building. Whatever comes to this colony from Oregon or from the Baltic could be equally as well obtained from Vancouver. Prices are just as low as they are anywhere on the Pacific Coast, and the quality quite as good. As before mentioned, the mills are well equipped in respect of appliances, and they are carried on in a spirited and enterprising manner. The cedars are in great favour for ornamental office work, &c.—the fittings in this material of some of the large banks and other large buildings in Vancouver being very beautiful. As there is a large consumption of tinned salmon in the colony, this could be obtained direct from the centre of production. The Fraser Eiver runs quite close to Vancouver, and here there are numerous canneries, which make an enormous yearly output. In some seasons the business is highly profitable, and in the year 1893 the export of this fish reached nearly 4,000 tons. With direct steamers and refrigerating appliances at command on this side, there should be a good trade in fresh fish, as from my experience when going up to Canada from Sydney the frozen salmon on board the " Arawa " was almost equal to that we got at Vancouver, which was freshly caught. So far as I could observe, there did not appear to be many other descriptions of return produce to come from this district; but there may be other articles both here and in the eastern provinces which on further investigation might be indicated. I am, however, rather of the opinion that the balance of trade with Canada would be in favour of New Zealand. The Tebeitoeies and Manitoba. After leaving British Columbia by the railway which spans the continent, portions of the "Territories " are passed through until the western boundary of Manitoba is reached. From these Territories four districts have been formed, respectively named Alberta, Athabasca, Sashatchewan, and Assiniboia. These districts in the whole contain about 400,000 square miles. The principal feature about this part of Canada is the succession of prairie steppes, which run north-west and south-east for several hundred miles. There are three main plateaux —the lowest being at about 800 ft. elevation, the second 1,500 ft., and the third, which runs west to the base of the Eocky Mountains, about 2,500 ft. to 3,000 ft. Settlement in this region is progressing, being chiefly in the direction of cattle-grazing. Agriculture has made but little headway, neither the climate nor the soil being regarded as suitable for mixed farming. Little further need be said about this section of British Canada. All the remarks that have been made as to trade with British Columbia apply in this direction. The same products that have to be imported in Vancouver must be similarly obtained here, and the small townships that are springing up on the line of railway obtain such supplies chiefly from that city. At a distance of about twelve hundred miles from Vancouver Manitoba commences. This province contains about sixty-five thousand square miles, is in the shape of a square block, and lies in the very centre of Canada. In respect of climate there are, as before indicated, great variations of temperature. The summers are very agreeable, with the thermometer ranging from 60° to 75° ; but in winter the weather is extremely severe and trying. I was informed that it was not an uncommon thing for the cold to go down to 30° or 40° below _ero. The "blizzard" is an unpleasant feature that occasionally makes its appearance. A description of these storms has often been given in extreme metaphor ; but there can be no doubt of their destructive nature, and the great drawback they are to the farming life of the district. I met an old Home friend who had settled here, and he told me as a fact that he had a rope fixed on stakes from his barn to the house—which was some three hundred yards away—so as to be a guide in case one of these storms came on unexpectedly. Cattle have to be housed in the cold season, and it is rather surprising to see as you pass along the railway so little live-stock on land that, in the summer time, looks so admirably adapted for it. From the western border of the province to Winnipeg, its capital, the country is one long range of rolling prairie, mostly adapted, from all appearances, for the purpose which is generally assigned to it—■ wheat-growing. The soil is very rich, consisting principally of black loam resting on a clay subsoil. Water, in the shape of small streams, is not very plentiful, but it can generally be obtained by sinking wells. The cultivation of land in this province is carried on between the months of April and October. Spring ploughing begins about the middle or end of the former month, or as soon as the snow has gone away; the crop is then put in, and usually harvested late in August or early in September. Thus the bulk of the year's work is practically done within five months. It has been found advantageous to commence ploughing as soon as sin. or 6in. of the surface is thawed, so as to get the seed in early. But little rain is required during the summer, evaporation from the thawing ground below supplying plenty of moisture to the crops. The quality of the wheat grown here is very good, and it brings as high a price as that from any other part of the Dominion. There are